Farewell, dear Annette.
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On April 22nd, American singer-songwriter guitarist Richie Havens died of a heart attack at the age of 72. He is best known for his intense and rhythmic guitar style (often in open tunings), soulful covers of pop and folk songs, and his opening performance at the 1969 Woodstock Festival. During this infamous performance, Havens held the crowd for nearly three hours (in part because he was told to
perform a lengthy set because many artists were delayed in reaching the
festival location), and he was called back for several encores. Having
run out of tunes, he improvised a song based on the old spiritual,
"Motherless Child," that became "Freedom" (as seen in his video clip from the festival). Only a true musician can bring this much passion to an improvised song.
Farewell, Mr. Havens.
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And today, April 26th, we lost American country music singer George Jones who passed away at 81 years old. Beginning his career in 1954, he is remembered for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to country singer Tammy Wynette. The flat-topped singer (also known for his hard-living lifestyle) placed multiple singles on the country charts each year during the '60s, including ballads like "Walk Through This World with Me." Released in January 1967, this single was his 57th release on the country chart and his fourth #1 hit.
Farewell, Mr. Jones.
